Bill > S2412

This bill aims to improve educational opportunities for all students in Massachusetts by: 1. Establishing a Twenty-First Century Education Trust Fund to address disparities in student achievement, improve educational opportunities, share best practices, and support efficiencies across school districts. This fund will be overseen by the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education in consultation with a Twenty-First Century Education Advisory Council. 2. Requiring each school district to develop an evidence-based 3-year plan to address persistent disparities in achievement among student subgroups, with specific strategies and metrics. Districts must submit these plans to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for review. 3. Directing the Secretary of Education to collect and publicly report data on student preparedness for the workforce and post-graduate success by school district and high school. 4. Establishing a data advisory commission to improve the use of state, district, and school-level data to inform effective resource allocation decisions. 5. Increasing the special education reimbursement rate for instructional and transportation costs over a 4-year period. 6. Studying the equity, predictability, and accuracy of the method for determining each municipality's required local contribution to education funding. 7. Establishing a special commission to examine the long-term fiscal health of rural school districts facing declining enrollment. Overall, the bill aims to improve educational outcomes and address disparities by increasing funding, data-driven decision making, and evidence-based strategies across the state's public schools.

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2412